Education Support Professionals
We're NEA ESPs and Proud of It!
Highlights:
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Urge Your Representative in Congress to Support National Classified School Employees of the Year Awards
10/7/2009
Representatives Titus (D-NV) and Woolsey (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a bill (H.R. 2377) to create National Classified School Employees of the Year awards. These awards would recognize the essential services of ESPs. -
2010 NEA ESP Conference
This is a great opportunity for ESP members to develop new skills they can use to build stronger locals and learn more about important, relevant issues. -
White House and NEA Tackle Childhood Obesity
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Help with 2010 Census, Earn Extra Cash
Take advantage of this part-time opportunity to serve your community. -
ESPs on the Firing Line
School Funding Crisis Nothing to Shake a Stick At - ESPs in Washington Fight for Higher Wages
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NEA ESP Leaders for Tomorrow Overview and Guidelines
- VIDEO: See for yourself how proposed education budget cuts in Michigan could compromise school bus safety.
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National Spotlight Shines on Support Staff
VIDEO: Rhode Island Support Professionals Host U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
About Education Support Professionals
NEA's Education Support Professional (ESP) members, one-half million and growing, take care of our children every day and make sure they have the tools they need to succeed in our schools and classrooms. We are the...
- school bus driver who greets your child with a warm "hello" and delivers him safely to school
- cafeteria worker who gives your daughter a warm, healthy meal
- paraeducator who provides your child with a little extra help in the classroom
- school nurse who comforts your sick child
- office assistant who makes sure your son's records are up to date
- technician who wires the classroom computers
- custodian who works to keep schools clean
- security professional who helps keep students safe.
We make up more than 40 percent of the total K-12 education workforce. We are a critically important part of the school community. Learn more about what we do in ESP Jobs.
We directly affect student learning.
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In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the bus drivers in the Pennsbury School District link bus safety activities with the language arts and social studies curriculum for kindergartners.
- In Broward County, Florida, paraprofessionals supervise and train students to run a peace center where they learn peer mediation.
- Reeths-Puffer, Michigan, food-service staff teach nutrition to student and parent groups and provide tasty, economical catering for staff parties.
- A custodian in Topsham, Maine, counsels elementary school teachers on selecting safe classroom materials.
We bring years of experience to our jobs.
- On average, K-12 ESP members have nearly 11 years of experience in education support work.
We are dedicated to students and schools.
- Nearly 95 percent of K-12 ESPs surveyed in 1997 said they planned to stay in education.test
We have strong ties to the community. Nearly 80 percent of us...
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volunteer time to community organizations or activities
- live in the school districts where we work
We've put together this ESP section of the National Education Association's Web site to help parents, community members, and other educators gain a better understanding of Education Support Professionals, and to provide resources that will help ESP's meet today's challenges and do our jobs better. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please send us an e-mail.test
Video
A Day Without Education Support Professionals (ESP)
See for yourself how important every education support professional is to the daily lives of our students and our schools. This poignant video illustrates the value of our work on so many levels. It was produced by Indiana member Mary Neylon.
- NEA ESP Leaders for Tomorrow Overview and Guidelines
- National Council for Education Support Professionals (NCESP)
- NEA ESP of the Year Award 2010
- 2010 NEA ESP Conference
- Key facts about NEA's ESP members
- ESP Jobs
- ESPs: Why Join NEA?
- The ESP Quality Department
- ESP Members of the NEA Board
- The ESP E-mail List
Dave Arnold: This school custodian and former Illinois Education Association ESP of the Year is a published poet. But most Association members know him best from the editorials -- Dave's View --
Video
Education Support Professionals Day
NEA Executive Committee Member Paula Monroe tells the story of ‘Education Support Professional of the Year’ Kathie Axtell.
ESP Day
Radio Interviews
Article
Video
- Secretary of Education and NEA President celebrate Education Support Professionals Day - With a visit to John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia.



